


Gummy rings and Gabriel

by Storybelle



Series: Anarchy Verse [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alfie is adorbs, Chuck has stage fright, Crowley drinks, Gabriel's POV, Gummy rings, More Dean and Cas tension, Sarah knows everything, Whiskey - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-18
Updated: 2014-05-18
Packaged: 2018-01-25 15:52:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1654103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Storybelle/pseuds/Storybelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>“Uh, you know,” Gabriel fibs. “Wedding stuff. Going over my vows…thinking about the lifelong commitment I’m about to make…missing my fiancé…”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“Very nice,” Cas says dryly. “Now what are you really doing?”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> <em>“Eating sweets, in my boxers, watching Phineas and Ferb,” says Gabriel.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gabriel's side of the story from 'The wrong definition of fling.' It's supposed to be the most important day of Gabriel's life. A little hard to focus when Cas has an inappropriate crush, Alfie has no sense of personal space and Crowley is draining the liquor cabinet. Oh and jitters abound. Getting married with a gummy ring is so much easier.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gummy rings and Gabriel

The ringing is very distracting.

Extremely distracting, Gabriel thinks. He’ll never finish this chocolate truffle torte if it keeps on ringing.

And there’s some kind of thumping too. Lots of thumping, getting louder and louder. Someone is calling his name too. Gabriel hopes that it’s Sam. That’d be nice. Chocolate and Sam. Chocolate on Sam, especially on all those lovely muscles. The ones on his stomach, right above his hipbones…ooh, melted chocolate pooling in that crease and Gabriel can lick it all the way down to….

Except Gabriel realises that it’s not Sam when he wakes up to Alfie about five inches away from his face.

“Jesus!” Gabriel swears and pulls the covers up closer around his chest. He’s indecently dressed to start with and now he’s sporting an erection in front of his kid brother.

“I’ve been calling you,” Alfie says, right to the point. The kid is too like Castiel sometimes.

“I heard,” Gabriel says grumpily. He flicks his eyes to the clock and groans. It’s way too early. It’s his wedding day, damn it.

“That was Ellen,” Alfie says and now Gabriel is awake, clenched with fear. He knows it’s unlikely but if anything has happened to Sam, he’ll throw up on his ridiculously expensive Egyptian cotton sheets.

“Is he ok?” Gabriel asks, fists clenched in the duvet. Alfie’s expression flickers from confusion to understanding in a second.

“Sam? No, Sam is fine!” Alfie hurriedly explains and Gabriel collapses back into the pillows in relief before looking at his brother again.

“Ok, so she wouldn’t be calling if something wasn’t wrong. We’re not due for a check in on her ridiculously planned itinerary until a more reasonable hour. What’s happened?” Gabriel asks, trying to rub sleep from his eyes. He suspects the Sam and chocolate dream is gone and not coming back.

“Quite a lot of things,” Alfie says. “You should get dressed and come downstairs. Cas is on the phone to Ellen right now.”

“Ok,” Gabriel groans and then gives Alfie a look when the kid stays perched at the end of the bed. 

“What?” Alfie asks, blinking the big doe eyes that made Ellen a little bit too attached to him last night.

“Out,” Gabriel says, waving a hand at him. “Shoo!”

“I’ve seen you naked before, Gabe,” Alfie says. Ugh. Brothers. Why did Gabriel end up with two who totally don’t get social cues?

“Naked, yes, with a stiffie, no,” Gabriel says and stifles a grin when Alfie’s face twists into an expression of horror.

“I’m going, I’m going,” Alfie says hurriedly, sliding off the bed. “And don’t go back to sleep!” The door is pulled shut behind him and Alfie’s footsteps fade away down the stairs. When he can’t hear his brother anymore, Gabriel stares at the ceiling for a few minutes. He’s not going back to sleep but this is far too much to cope with this early. His head is pounding a little bit from too many cocktails last night to boot. And his mouth tastes like old maraschino cherries.

Sam isn’t a morning person. Which is good: Gabriel doesn’t think he can manage being married to someone who’s perky without coffee and sings in the morning. The only time they can cope with being up early in the mornings is for Sunday sex.

Sam.

Gabriel sighs and kicks off the thick covers. He piled them on last night, cold without Sam’s massive bulk half smothering him. He’s got time for a shower before he has to face the drama.

And by shower, he means pick up that licking chocolate-covered Sam fantasy again.

 

*******

 

It’s half an hour before he’s ready and downstairs. Castiel and Alfie both give him filthy looks when he swaggers in. It wasn’t the jerking off that took time – that was embarrassingly quick – it’s the amount of time he’s spent on his hair.

“Finally,” Alfie says, with more sarcasm that Gabriel knew the kid possessed.

“Who peed in your Cheerios?” Gabriel asks, pulling out a chair to sit down in and reaching for the coffee pot. 

“We could hear you,” Castiel mutters from over his notepad. Gabriel raises an eyebrow at them, inhaling the sweet smell of caffeine and ignoring the slight blush growing at the tips of his ears.

“Oops?” he says blithely. “Now, what’s the problem?”

“Problems,” Castiel corrects. “A lot has happened since last night. Sam’s grandparents will be late, the band has no vehicle, the wind has trashed the majority of the reception area…oh, and your caterer seems to be having some kind of melt down.”

“Not surprising, she’s a nut case,” Gabriel says without remorse. “Ok, so what’s the plan?”

“I’ve offered to go over to Sam’s parents’ house in a few hours to lend a hand. Ellen is arranging everything else and I think Sam got the caterer to calm down. But still, it puts us behind a bit,” Cas says, scribbling away.

“I’m staying here!” Alfie says, totally unnecessarily. Gabriel snickers into his mug. Ellen is a scary woman.

“Ok, so we’ve got a plan, I guess. Uh…what do I do?” Gabriel asks uncertainly.

“Nothing,” Castiel says. “You stay put. Sam and his brother are going over to their parents’ house to help out and you can’t see each other before the wedding. You’d only cause havoc anyway.”

“Thank, Cas,” Gabriel mutters, draining his mug. “Did you put cinnamon in this?”

“I did. I remembered that you like it like that,” Cas says.

“Thanks. You’re a good brother. Hey, we should get you laid!” Gabriel says suddenly.

“I can take care of my own sexual encounters, thank you, Gabriel,” Castiel says, putting his mug and plate away in the dishwasher. Even as kids Castiel never had to be told to tidy away after himself. It was really annoying.

“Clearly, you can’t. You and Balthazar broke up nearly two years ago now. You need to find someone else.”

“I’m fine, Gabriel,” Castiel says and vanishes out of the door before Gabriel can respond.

“No, he’s not,” Gabriel mutters into the coffee pot and wonders if Alfie would make him some bacon if he asked.

 

*******

****

****

 

Alfie does make him bacon. And eggs too.

He’s got a mouthful of delicious scrambled-ness when his phone goes. 

“’ello?” Gabriel asks, not even swallowing.

“Ew, are you talking with your mouth full?” says a very familiar voice on the other end of the line.

“You’re one to talk, Dean,” Gabriel says, picking up the last rasher and biting into it with relish. “What’s happening?”

“We’re on our way to our parents’ house,” Dean says. “Suppose you’ve been called already?”

“Yeah, Ellen called us this morning, at God knows what time,” Gabriel says. He doesn’t particularly care if Dean can hear him over the crunching.

“What are you eating?” Dean asks curiously.

“Bacon,” Gabriel says gleefully. “Alfie’s gotten it all crispy and perfect. Eggs and coffee too.”

“Asshole,” Dean says jealously. “I had time for like three cups of coffee this morning and now I gotta piss so bad. Are you such a pretty princess you need breakfast made for you?”

“Aww, jelly you don’t get any, Deano?” Gabe asks, licking his fingers and grinning at the growl of frustration that Dean makes.

“We’ve got important stuff for your big day to do, you know, Shorty,” Dean says loftily. “Oh shit…” There’s a clunk and a muffled shriek down the line. Gabriel waits until Dean has picked it up again.

“What was that?” 

“Some asshole in a van,” Dean grunts. “Oh, did you mean the girly shriek? That was Sam.”

“You’re driving while on the phone, dickhead!” Sam yelps distantly and Gabriel’s heart skips at the sound of his voice. God, he’s pathetic.

“It’s fine, I’ve got it,” Dean says. “No, you can’t have the phone, it’s bad luck. Anyway, asshole, you got back up over there or what?”

“My brothers are here. Making awesome bacon and stuff,” he says because he never misses an opportunity to rub anything in Dean’s face. “Castiel is probably going over to your house to lend a hand shortly but Alfie will be here.”

“Scared of Ellen, huh,” Dean says dryly.

“Yep.”

“It’s cool, we got time. Look, we’re nearly there so I’ve got to go. We’ll keep you in the loop, ok?”

“Sure. Uh, tell Sam I…” But it’s too late and the dialling tone goes before Gabriel can finish his sentence.

“Asshole,” Gabriel mutters, chucking his phone down onto the table.

“Who’s an asshole?” Castiel asks curiously. He’s changed into black slacks and a blue shirt and his hair is damp from the shower. Cas will probably forget to brush it and it will curl all over the place when it’s dry. 

“Sam’s brother,” Gabriel snorts. “You’ll have to put up with him a lot so good luck.”

“He’s the other best man, isn’t he? Why is he an asshole?” Castiel gets a clean mug out of the cabinet and picks up Gabriel’s too. He waves it briefly, asking if Gabriel would like a refill.

“Because he is,” Gabriel says. “Can you put cinnamon in this one too? Thanks.”

“He’s your friend,” Castiel points out. “And your soon to be brother-in-law.”

“He can be all that and still an asshole,” Gabriel replies. He wonders if he’s got any of that apple pie that Mary made for him left in the fridge and whether he can hide in the bathroom with it until the pie is gone and he’s not quite so mopey.

“Well, play nice, ok? People will be stopping by to see you, although I think the majority will be at the reception venue,” Cas says briskly. “Now, don’t burn down the house…”

“It’s my house!” Gabriel yelps. Well, his and Sam’s house. Moot.

“Don’t eat so much junk food you feel sick, like you did before Mother’s thirtieth birthday and then spent all evening throwing up in her petunias.” Cas ducks out of the kitchen to the hall closet. There’s a rattle of hangers as Cas searches for his coat amongst Gabriel’s collection of designer jackets and Sam’s ‘I’m a sensible dentist’ functional outerwear.

“I was seven,” Gabriel mutters. “Who leaves a tray of brownies unguarded anyway?”

“And lastly, don’t mope. Don’t call Sam. Don’t do anything stupid. Just stay put and take it easy.” Cas is back, shrugging his stupid coat over his shoulders. Cas always looks slightly dishevelled and dark eyed but he today he looks tired, circles around his eyes more pronounced than usual. Gabriel instantly feels bad. His brother came all this way, only to deal with a drunken Gabriel, because apparently he’s become so whipped by a gorgeous dentist he can’t function for a few hours without him. And now Cas has been hauled out of bed at some insane hour, to go to a house full of people he doesn’t know, just to help out with Gabriel’s ridiculously over the top wedding.

“Cas?” Gabriel calls out before Castiel can leave again. “Come here a sec.”

Castiel hesitantly steps through the kitchen door – probably suspicious that Gabe will pull a prank, it’s not the first time – until finally he’s standing by Gabriel’s chair.

“Yes, Gabriel?” Cas asks stiffly.

“I just wanted to say thanks. You know, for being here. You didn’t have to,” Gabriel says and is relieved when Cas’ face melts into a smile.

“Of course I did. You are my brother. Even if I weren’t your best man, I’d be here to watch you get married. I’m proud of you, Gabriel.”

“Thanks, Cas,” Gabriel says, running his fingers down the hem of Cas’ trench coat to try and hide the fact that he’s about to burst into tears. “What am I going to do without my sensible little brother around?”

Cas bites his lip, looking sheepish. “Actually…I did not wish to discuss this with you until I was more certain but…”

“But?” Gabriel perks up instantly, the way he does when someone mentions nougat.

“But…” Cas sighs heavily and sits down in the opposite chair. “But a friend from college, Rachel: do you remember Rachel?”

“Um, sort of,” Gabriel says, scrunching up his nose. “Blonde, glasses, kind of intense?”

“Yes, that’s her. Their features writer is emigrating in a few weeks’ time and Rachel suggested I should take the position.” Cas is still, carefully watching Gabriel for his reaction. But Gabriel supresses his bubbling joy: this is Castiel’s life. He has to want it.

“What do you think? You’d be uprooting your life a fairly long way, Cas. I know we were born here but you moved away for college and then stayed because of Balthazar…”

“I know,” Cas says. “I know. But I think you were right earlier. I need to move on. I can’t do that when I still live in our old apartment, and get my morning coffee from our favourite café. Balthazar’s friends are all still nearby and it’s not hard to bump into them.”

“Weren’t they your friends too?” Gabriel asks. Cas sighs heavily.

“They were Balthazar’s friends first. And now I feel like they’re judging me.”

“For what?” Gabriel asks furiously. He’d liked Balthazar but anyone with eyes could see that he and Castiel were too different. Castiel does need someone fun and who will bring Cas out of his shell…but someone who is devoted and loyal. Someone who will love Cas for all his quirks and habits. Someone who _needs ___Castiel.

“For leaving. For being a ‘stick in the mud.’” Cas makes the hand gestures, looking very self-conscious. 

“You had the right to leave, Cas,” Gabriel says softly. “Everyone has a right to leave.” For a minute the brothers are silent: they both remember being left. For Gabriel, he remembers being left twice. 

But the difference is, Sam came back. 

“It wouldn’t have worked,” Cas says unhappily. “I know. As much as I wish it had. London was too far away. We had too many differences. Leaving was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” 

“It’s ok. You’ll be ok,” Gabriel says and is surprised with a sudden armful of apple scented dark hair and stiff brown material. 

*******

It’s an unspoken rule that you never invite exes to weddings. Gabriel managed this better than Sam did. However, in the back of his head, he wishes he could have invited just the one. 

But at ten when his phone buzzes with a new message he’s not surprised to find it’s from her. 

__Good luck. K_ _

__

_******* _

__

__It’s mid-morning when Gabriel’s editor turns up._ _

__“Well, don’t you look fetching,” Crowley quips when he sees Gabriel slouched on the big comfy purple armchair that Sam hates. He’s wearing one of Sam’s hoodies, which drowns him and eating Reese’s cups, one after the other. “Like a young girl should on her wedding day.”_ _

__“Eat me,” Gabriel replies from around a mouthful of perfect peanut butter, chocolate goodness. “I get enough of the bride jokes from Dean.”_ _

__Crowley makes himself comfortable on the couch, raising an eyebrow at Gabriel._ _

__“Your future brother-in-law tends to find a joke he likes and then sticks with it,” he says. “Is that cute little thing at your door your brother?”_ _

__“One of them,” Gabriel says. “The youngest. Cas is helping out with wedding stuff right now.”_ _

__“I heard about the little problem with Milton House,” Crowley says, looking around the room and spotting the liquor cabinet like a bloodhound. “May I?” Gabriel gestures towards the cabinet with a hand._ _

__“Be my guest. Yeah, Mary rang me about fifteen minutes ago. They’ve got another space in Sam’s friend’s family gallery.”_ _

__“Lucky,” Crowley says, investigating the bottles. “Why is all your alcohol girly? Does Sam not drink?”_ _

__“Sam drinks beer,” Gabriel says defensively. “And there’s nothing wrong with my cocktails.”_ _

__“The little pink umbrellas are what are wrong with your cocktails,” Crowley says, pouring amber liquid into a glass._ _

__“My cocktails are fine,” Gabriel says, but he gets enough stick about his fruity, girly drinks that he’s not even really trying._ _

__“You alright?” Crowley asks, sipping from a very full glass. “You look like Dean does when the cafeteria is all out of pie.”_ _

__Gabriel smirks. Dean’s face when he sees there’s no pie nearly rivals Sam’s when he sees a clown._ _

__“Got a text from my ex,” Gabriel says._ _

__“And? Was it a ‘I should gut you and drag you around like a dog by your intestines’ text?” Crowley says, making himself comfortable on the couch again._ _

__“What? No,” Gabriel says. “She wished me luck. What does that even mean?”_ _

__“Uh…good luck?” Crowley says sarcastically. “Why do you have to read anything into it?”_ _

__“Because the woman I once loved and broke my heart wished me luck on my wedding day?” Gabriel says._ _

__“You know, Gabriel, I have heard that people – not you or I, perhaps but people – are capable of moving past their bitterness and wishing happiness on others,” Crowley says. Gabriel scowls._ _

__“I wish her happiness. I just wish she hadn’t found happiness right after dumping me.”_ _

__“Ah, yes, didn’t she get engaged? Two months later? Not a very long mourning period,” Crowley remarks and then stares into his empty glass like he doesn’t know where it has all gone._ _

__“Shut up,” Gabriel says, grumpy at being reminded. Kali had never been one to wait when she wanted something. And apparently a CEO with a Mercedes was worth more to her than a guy who’d rather watch Dance Moms instead of getting ahead at work._ _

__He remembers once that they’d watched crappy reality TV together. But she’d grown up. And he hadn’t wanted to._ _

__‘Going nowhere’ was the phrase she’d used. ‘Worthless’ was the one she’d thought but hadn’t said._ _

__“Do you think about it?” Crowley says suddenly. “What your life would have been like?”_ _

__“Sometimes,” Gabriel shrugs. “I mean, I know Sam wonders what his life would have been like if Jess hadn’t died.”_ _

__“Well, what do you think it would have been like?” Crowley asks, eyes interrogating Gabriel over the top of the glass._ _

__“I think we would have ended up hating each other,” Gabriel says bluntly. “She would have either hated that I wasn’t going to change or she’d try to change me into something I’m not and I’d resent her for it.”_ _

__“And on the other hand if Jess had lived, they’d probably be married with kids and a dog right now,” Crowley muses._ _

__“You’re a crappy Dr. Phil,” Gabriel snarls._ _

__“I’m better looking. But it’s true though. You simply never would have met. Sam wouldn’t have been dicked over by Ruby. Dean never would have invited him to the company party. Ergo, you and Sam never would have met.”_ _

__“That’s cruel,” Gabriel says. “It’s my wedding day.” Crowley shrugs._ _

__“You were thinking it,” Crowley says and shakes his glass. “Do you mind if I…?”_ _

__“There’s going to be an open bar, you know,” Gabriel says but doesn’t stop Crowley refilling his glass anyway._ _

__

_******* _

__

__Chuck stops by to talk to Gabriel after the news about Milton House spread amongst the wedding party. He’s been promoted to officiate and only slightly wrecked with stage fright._ _

__Gabriel offers him a cronut._ _

__Crowley makes him a martini._ _

__Ellen sends Becky over to fetch him back after the third one and threatens to sober him up in the pond._ _

__

_******* _

__

__“Hey Cas,” Gabriel chirrups down the phone and nearly takes a step back when there’s a snarl from the other end._ _

__“Uh…Cas? Castiel? That is you, right?” Gabriel asks uncertainly, in case his brother has been replaced by a small, angry wolverine._ _

__“Yes,” Castiel replies. “I’m sorry. How are you, Gabriel?”_ _

__“I’m ok. Just watching TV. What’s going on there? Why all the growly tenseness?” Gabriel snags a red ring from the Haribo bag and practises sliding it onto his finger. Alfie’s in the shower and Crowley’s hitting the liquor. No one will know._ _

__“Sam’s brother is very disagreeable,” Cas says sullenly and from Cas, that’s almost like swearing._ _

__“Wow. You met him, huh?” Gabriel studies his ring finger. It looks pretty good. Gold will be good too but Gabriel can’t eat that off his finger when he wants a different colour._ _

__“He is a very rude individual and I wonder how Sam can be related to such a creature!” Cas says furiously and that makes Gabe sit up and listen. Dean being an asshole is fine: Dean being an asshole to his baby brother is less fine._ _

__“What did he say to you, Cas?” Gabe asks, biting into the gummy ring. Cas is silent for a moment but Gabriel can still hear his heavy breathing on the other end._ _

__“He brought up Balthazar,” Cas says in a small voice. “I guess Sam must have told him a bit about me but…he brought it up and…it doesn’t matter, Gabriel.”_ _

__“Yes, it does!” Gabriel says angrily. “Cas, what did he say?”_ _

__“He said that it was no wonder that it didn’t work out,” Cas says quietly. “What with Balthazar sounding fun and me being so not fun.”_ _

__Gabriel makes a noise like an angry cat. That bag of dicks is going to get it in the neck when Gabriel sees him next._ _

__“But Sam said something about his ex-girlfriend and he got sulky and left. The caterer turned up anyway,” Cas says, trying to soothe Gabriel’s temper. It’s not working. His brothers aren’t like him. Gabriel can shrug off whatever people throw at him but Alfie’s too sensitive and Cas is too insecure._ _

__“Yeah, Lisa. I remember her,” Gabriel says, distantly calling up dark hair and a bright red mouth. “They ended pretty quickly after Sam and I got together. It wasn’t a good break up either.”_ _

__“Oh?” Cas asks. Gabriel looks around in the sweet bag for a cola bottle._ _

__“Yeah,” Gabriel says, chewing. “I think they were serious for a while. Even were going to get married. But they had a fight or someone cheated…ah, crap, I can’t remember. It was a long time ago and she wasn’t in the picture very long once Sam and I were exclusive.”_ _

__“Ah,” Cas says and Gabriel’s not entirely sure what he means by that. But before he can ask, there’s a clatter in the background and a woman’s voice calling._ _

__“Yes? I’ll be right there, Sarah!” Cas calls to her and then addresses Gabriel again. “I’m sorry, Gabriel, but I have to leave now. Sarah needs my help moving some chairs.”_ _

__“’Course, bro!” Gabriel says cheerfully. “And don’t worry. I’m sure I can get some kind of dead fish to leave in Dean’s car.”_ _

__“Gabriel,” Castiel warns. “Please don’t do that. I can handle this myself. Our brothers are getting married, we’re clearly going to be seeing more of each other in the future.”_ _

__“And he won’t fuck with you again if there’s a week old haddock under the front seat in the Impala,” Gabriel says sulkily._ _

__“Please, Gabriel? If not for me, then for Sam.”_ _

__“Ugh. Did you have to use the Sam card?” Gabriel complains. “Alright, alright. No fish.”_ _

__“No messing with Dean of any kind,” Cas corrects. “Anyway, what are you doing?”_ _

__“Uh, you know,” Gabriel fibs. “Wedding stuff. Going over my vows…thinking about the lifelong commitment I’m about to make…missing my fiancé…”_ _

__“Very nice,” Cas says dryly. “Now what are you really doing?”_ _

__“Eating sweets, in my boxers, watching Phineas and Ferb,” says Gabriel._ _

__“I suspected as much,” Cas says, sounding significantly more cheerful than he had five minutes ago. “I will call you before I leave. Try and remember that there is less than two hours to the wedding, Gabriel.”_ _

__“You sound like Sam. ‘I’m late, I’m late for a very important date!’” Gabriel mimics._ _

__“Uh…what?” Cas sounds baffled. Clearly, he’s never watched the Disney version of Alice in Wonderland while high._ _

__“Seriously? It’s from…oh, never mind,” Gabriel says in bemusement. “Go help Sarah with those chairs.”_ _

__Gabriel presses the end call button and tosses the phone to the other end of the sofa before pulling out another gummy ring._ _

__

_******* _

__

__The next call he gets is from Sarah, half an hour later to inform him Cas is on his way back to Gabriel. Gabriel takes a quick look around his living room: shirt on the couch, gummy ring stuck to the cushion, empty whiskey bottle on the floor (thanks, Crowley) and hurriedly scrambles up._ _

__“Hi Sarah, what’s happening?” he asks, sweeping up all his clothes and wondering if he can get dressed one-handed. Hmm, zips. Best not._ _

__“Nothing much,” she says cheerfully. “Cas is on his way. He was going to call you himself but we had some slight mishaps here so we were running behind. He might have been running away from Dean anyway.”_ _

__“Have they been ok?” Gabriel asks suspiciously. “Dean hasn’t been an ass to Cas again, has he?”_ _

__“No,” Sarah says and it sounds like she’s trying not to giggle. “No, no, they’ve stayed very far apart from one another.”_ _

__“It’s not funny!” Gabriel says. Sarah is an only child so she doesn’t know what it’s like. “If he’s been bullying Cas…” Sarah lets out a bark of laughter._ _

__“Oh, Gabriel, you haven’t been here so you’re excused,” she says, chuckling. “I know Cas was put out earlier but Dean’s been sulking all day too. But everyone who’s been here setting up the gallery has seen it.”_ _

__“Seen what?” Gabriel asks, baffled. He tries to pull the Haribo ring off the couch cushion._ _

__Oh shit, that’s really stuck on there. This is what happens when you play weddings with sweets, Gabriel._ _

__“It’s easy for you to miss. Clearly, your big brother instincts flared up. Sam knows perfectly well what’s going on,” Sarah says, sounding bemused._ _

__“Sam’s not an older brother though, is he?” Gabriel points out. “What is going on, Sarah?”_ _

__“They’re pulling each other’s pigtails,” she says triumphantly. “They _like_ each other.”_ _

__“What? No, they don’t,” Gabriel says, forgetting the ruined cushion in favour of being grossed out that Dean apparently likes his brother._ _

__And that Cas might like him back._ _

__“Yes, they do. They’ve been creepy staring and watching each other all afternoon,” she says. “But I don’t really think they know how to deal with it. I wasn’t there when they met but Sam says they were pretty much eye-fucking each other.”_ _

__“More than I needed to hear, Sarah,” Gabriel says, picking up the bottle and setting it aside for the recycling._ _

__“Well, think about it,” Sarah says reasonably. “The last relationship they both had was fairly serious, right? And it ended badly, leaving them unable to trust anyone. They both heard things about each other beforehand that probably were less than complimentary. Dean fears being left, Cas fears being used. They’re attracted to each other but they’re scared.”_ _

__Ok, so the things he said about Dean probably didn’t help. Shit. Cas shows an interest in someone for the first time in two years and Gabriel fucks it up._ _

__“You’re right,” Gabriel admits._ _

__“It’s a shame Cas lives so far away,” Sarah says. “They’d be cute as a couple, don’t you think?” Gabriel pulls a face, glad Sarah can’t see. He does not need to think about Cas macking with Dean. He’s not entirely sure at this point that Dean will be any good for Cas._ _

__But if it’s what Castiel wants…_ _

__“Yeah, shame,” Gabriel lies. “Anyway, I’d better go. Cas will be back soon. I’ve got some tidying up to do.”_ _

__“How Sam can live with you, I’ll never know,” Sarah says. “He told me about the skittles in the bed incident.”_ _

__“You don’t like skittles?”_ _

__“I love skittles. But there’s a time and a place. You go get ready. You don’t want to be late!” Sarah says before ending the call._ _

__Don’t be late. Tuh. Why does everyone keep saying that to him?_ _

__It’s two hours away. He’s got time._ _

__

_******* _

__

__He does not have time._ _

__“You are running late, Gabriel!” Alfie hollers up the stairs. “We have to leave in fifteen minutes!”_ _

__“I know!” Gabriel yells back. Why won’t this stupid bow tie up properly? He’s gotten his damn fingers knotted in it. “I heard you five minutes ago!”_ _

__“You should have gotten ready earlier!” Alfie replies. “We’re going to be leaving without you!”_ _

__The door opens behind Gabriel and Cas slinks in. He looks pretty dapper, actually. His hair hasn’t been tamed but Cas has had a shower and looks a bit more together than he did this morning. In that tux he looks very together. He might not have a problem getting laid after all._ _

__“Are you alright, Gabriel?” Cas asks softly, walking up behind Gabriel in the mirror._ _

__“No,” Gabriel mutters. He’s heard all about wedding jitters and dismissed them all – come on, he’s marrying Sam. But now that it’s so soon, he feels like the sweets are going to be making a pretty swift reappearance._ _

__“Here,” Cas holds out his hands and Gabriel drops his from where he’s very nearly been strangling himself with that stupid bow tie. He stands still while Cas deftly does it up, straightens his jacket and smooths down his hair._ _

__“There. You look very handsome,” Cas says, standing back to admire his work._ _

__“Great. I’ll look very handsome until I puke rainbow vomit all over my shoes,” Gabriel sighs heavily. Cas gives him a look._ _

__“Cold feet?”_ _

__“Like ice,” Gabriel says._ _

__“You’ll be fine,” Cas says briskly. “You’ll get there and see Sam and it’ll all just vanish.”_ _

__“You think?” Gabriel asks. He still feels like there’s a lump in his throat and he really needs a drink right now._ _

__“I know,” Cas says firmly. “I know there are people who think that you can’t do this…”_ _

__“Our parents being some of those people,” Gabriel says. His parents had loved him but they’d never particularly believed in him. Why should they have done? They had Cas, the genius and Alfie, the do-gooder. Gabriel the alcoholic layabout just hadn’t been on their radar._ _

__“Well, they were wrong,” Cas reprimands. “I have always believed in you, as has Alfie. You took a little longer than most people to figure out what they want to do in life but you got there.”_ _

__“Food,” Gabriel mutters, turning back to the mirror. “My high school guidance counsellor could have told me that.”_ _

__“Eating expensive food on someone else’s dime and then bitching about it,” Cas says with a smile._ _

__“Hey, my job is a lot more than that,” Gabriel says, mock hurt. “Occasionally, I sneak bread rolls out in my jacket pocket. And I take photos. And talk to the waiter in a British accent when the restaurant is really posh.”_ _

__“Well, that’s your job,” Castiel says. “I’m sure other food critics handle it differently. And I’m sure they’ve never requested that the waiter just ‘leave the dessert cart.’”_ _

__“I could have drowned in that dessert cart,” Gabriel says. “How ironic I ended up with a dentist.”_ _

__“How good for your teeth that you ended up with a dentist, you mean,” Cas snorts. “Where are your shoes?” Gabriel points and Cas grabs the box off the bed._ _

__“Have you spoken to Sam?” Gabriel asks. “Are they on time?” Cas frowns._ _

__“I have tried calling Sam repeatedly,” he says. “But there’s been no reply. They should be leaving any minute now.”_ _

__“Well, maybe they’re in the car already. You could call Dean,” Gabriel says, inelegantly hopping on one foot, trying to put on his extremely uncomfortable new shoes._ _

__“I’d rather not,” Cas says coolly._ _

__“I thought you were handling it?” Gabriel says with a smirk. He can see Cas’ behaviour in a whole new light after his conversation with Sarah._ _

__“I am handling it,” Cas says loftily. “I do not wish to get into a fight with Sam’s brother thirty minutes before your wedding.”_ _

__“Well, maybe they’re running late too,” Gabriel says. He knows when it’s time to change the subject with Cas._ _

__“Or Sam has legged it already,” Crowley says from the doorway, where he’s been listening and Gabriel takes off the shoe again just to throw it at him._ _

__

_******* _

__

__When they go out to the car (they’re only running a little late. Alfie is such a drama queen) Sam is still not answering his phone._ _

__“Give me the phone, I’ll call Dean,” Gabriel says in exasperation when Cas takes to looking at the phone like it’s betrayed him._ _

__“No, that’s not necessary,” Cas says, quickly sliding the phone into his pocket. “I’m sure Ellen has already checked that they’re on their way.”_ _

__“Wuss,” Gabriel mutters, pulling open the car door for Alfie and Crowley. If he’d been this shy about asking Sam out, they might not be here today._ _

__Ahh, wedding. Going to puke again now._ _

__“I am not a…!” Cas says furiously. “I am not afraid of Dean Winchester!”_ _

__“That’s not what I was implying,” Gabriel says in a sing-song voice, shutting the passenger door. Cas is driving as Crowley is a little bit too…well, pissed. And Gabriel is the bride, so to speak._ _

__He also had a few martinis to calm his nerves but that’s not important._ _

__“Dean Winchester is a stubborn, tiresome playboy who I would be pleased to never see again in my life!” Cas says, storming to the driver’s door and yanking it open._ _

__“Uh huh,” Gabriel says, sliding into the front seat with a smirk on his face. Once Cas has shut the door and started the engine he leans over to whisper in Cas’ ear._ _

__“Cute though, isn’t he?” Gabriel says wickedly and is gratified when Castiel turns bright pink._ _

__“Ready, kids?” Crowley asks from the back. Castiel has searched him for a flask but Gabriel’s about ninety percent sure that Cas could do an cavity search and not find where that slippery bastard has put it._ _

__“I can smell your breath from over here,” Gabriel says in disgust. Alfie leans forward to talk to Gabriel._ _

__“Are you ready, Gabriel?” he asks pointedly. Gabriel reaches over to ruffle Alfie’s hair and smirks when the kid shrieks with indignation._ _

__“Ready as I’ll ever be,” he says, sounding a lot more confident that he actually is. But everything is fine. The band is in place, Crowley is standing upright, Maggie is wielding her special brand of hell back at the house and according to Castiel, Sarah’s father’s gallery is even more beautiful than Milton house would have been._ _

__After all, it’s the eleventh hour. Nothing else can go wrong, right?_ _

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't going to write this for a while, planning to do the final chapter of Fling instead. But Gabriel got pushy and this came out instead. It was really fun to write. (Also, it got long. 0_o)
> 
> Fling's third chapter is next, I promise!


End file.
